buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
with google I forgot there was yellow pages. I think all businesses should have a web site, even if it is only basic info.
Is a yellow pages add worth it?
- Thread starter carpenter383
- Start date
/pine
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2009
- Messages
- 15,059
I would do more research before signing a contract with the Yellow pages vendor...
look for local business directories on the www (regional,local to your location) then do some research on the amount of trafic they get...many will list your business for free and or offer enhanced listings...often your money will be much better spent on local internet business directories...
An additional option is to create a web site for your business then sign up with Google Ad Words it is money well spent...what this will do is put advertisments for your business on local business directory sites when anyone searches for "carpentry" or carpentry services" etc..etc...
Notice how the Google ads on this site are all tractor related or related to the forum topics?...local Google ads work the same way...the key is finding the most popular local (online) business directories in your region and make sure your business is listed...
I administer many different (localized) business directories...I can attest to the their effectiveness for both the advertisers and the local consumer...
Try it yourself...in most areas of the country you can find a business listing (online yellow page type) ad three times faster on the internet than you can using a hard copy yellow page book...
if you want more information on how to determine the most popular listing sites and how effective they are with Google Ad...PM me
Good Luck
look for local business directories on the www (regional,local to your location) then do some research on the amount of trafic they get...many will list your business for free and or offer enhanced listings...often your money will be much better spent on local internet business directories...
An additional option is to create a web site for your business then sign up with Google Ad Words it is money well spent...what this will do is put advertisments for your business on local business directory sites when anyone searches for "carpentry" or carpentry services" etc..etc...
Notice how the Google ads on this site are all tractor related or related to the forum topics?...local Google ads work the same way...the key is finding the most popular local (online) business directories in your region and make sure your business is listed...
I administer many different (localized) business directories...I can attest to the their effectiveness for both the advertisers and the local consumer...
Try it yourself...in most areas of the country you can find a business listing (online yellow page type) ad three times faster on the internet than you can using a hard copy yellow page book...
if you want more information on how to determine the most popular listing sites and how effective they are with Google Ad...PM me
Good Luck
Hakim
Moderator
RE: Yellow Pages ads....
That era has almost come to an end. With very few exceptions, there are much better ways than the Yellow Pages to attract and maintain customers than Yellow Pages ads.
Think Google Adwords. You will get much more response, because as others have pointed out, most people today first use Google to try to locate the services and products they need. Literally, for every single person who finds you via the YP, 500 will find you from the web.
Good Ad words are sold on a "highest bidder" basis. You decide on a "key word" you think people looking for you are likely to type in; with little effort, Google will tell you (for free) the words most used, and much more information than you would get from the phone book company in 1,000 years.
There is no "fixed" cost. YOU decide how much you want to spend. Then you choose ad words that you want, put in the bid amount you are willing to pay. Sit back. If not enough people come, cancel that ad word entry, and try others. You can open a Google Adwords account with a small amount, even $10. YOU decide the maximum you are willing to pay for an ad. You only pay if someone actually clicks on the link to your site. In any event, you easily can decide on the most you want to spend, and avoid long term recurring charges (with with YP ads, often produce -0- revenue).
Many studies have proved that the people who are most likely to purchase something on the Internet, use not a single word search, but include 3 to 4 words in their searches.
Do not pay for the single search word "carpenter" for example; instead bid on a keyword sequence or phrase such as "cabinet installation Lancaster;" or "cabinet finishing Akron"; like that. Or use a specific neighborhood or area of a specific town. With a little thought, you can soon generate 50 or 75 "key phrases" all of which are directly related to people looking for your services RIGHT NOW.
You will be able to "buy" placement on the results page for the term you selected, for probably around .10 cents to .50 cents per click. If after spending say $5 on clicks to you site, they are converting, you just drop that word and try another. The object is to get your name up to the top 2 or 3 listed on the Google search results page, instead of page 15 or 500.
This works by use of database structural capabilities called "geo-targeting" that Google has raised to a high art. You can decide upon a state, a town, a city, zipcode, and various other factors. Your main marketing job right now should be to review all of the paid work you have done over the past year or so (and make sure you still like to do such jobs, and most importantly, make good profit from such work). Start with 10-20 keyword phrases. Add them to your account. Then site back and marvel at the results.
Here is the link to the Google Adwords sitehttp://tinyurl.com/d9nhpk -- tons of good info.
One other point is that you can also place ads under various categories on Craigslist for your town or area. Those are almost all free, except for employment ads and real estate in certain large market areas, like NY city, Los Angeles, etc. See here: craigslist | about > help > posting fees
All the best,
Hakim Chishti,
TBN Staff
That era has almost come to an end. With very few exceptions, there are much better ways than the Yellow Pages to attract and maintain customers than Yellow Pages ads.
Think Google Adwords. You will get much more response, because as others have pointed out, most people today first use Google to try to locate the services and products they need. Literally, for every single person who finds you via the YP, 500 will find you from the web.
Good Ad words are sold on a "highest bidder" basis. You decide on a "key word" you think people looking for you are likely to type in; with little effort, Google will tell you (for free) the words most used, and much more information than you would get from the phone book company in 1,000 years.
There is no "fixed" cost. YOU decide how much you want to spend. Then you choose ad words that you want, put in the bid amount you are willing to pay. Sit back. If not enough people come, cancel that ad word entry, and try others. You can open a Google Adwords account with a small amount, even $10. YOU decide the maximum you are willing to pay for an ad. You only pay if someone actually clicks on the link to your site. In any event, you easily can decide on the most you want to spend, and avoid long term recurring charges (with with YP ads, often produce -0- revenue).
Many studies have proved that the people who are most likely to purchase something on the Internet, use not a single word search, but include 3 to 4 words in their searches.
Do not pay for the single search word "carpenter" for example; instead bid on a keyword sequence or phrase such as "cabinet installation Lancaster;" or "cabinet finishing Akron"; like that. Or use a specific neighborhood or area of a specific town. With a little thought, you can soon generate 50 or 75 "key phrases" all of which are directly related to people looking for your services RIGHT NOW.
You will be able to "buy" placement on the results page for the term you selected, for probably around .10 cents to .50 cents per click. If after spending say $5 on clicks to you site, they are converting, you just drop that word and try another. The object is to get your name up to the top 2 or 3 listed on the Google search results page, instead of page 15 or 500.
This works by use of database structural capabilities called "geo-targeting" that Google has raised to a high art. You can decide upon a state, a town, a city, zipcode, and various other factors. Your main marketing job right now should be to review all of the paid work you have done over the past year or so (and make sure you still like to do such jobs, and most importantly, make good profit from such work). Start with 10-20 keyword phrases. Add them to your account. Then site back and marvel at the results.
Here is the link to the Google Adwords sitehttp://tinyurl.com/d9nhpk -- tons of good info.
One other point is that you can also place ads under various categories on Craigslist for your town or area. Those are almost all free, except for employment ads and real estate in certain large market areas, like NY city, Los Angeles, etc. See here: craigslist | about > help > posting fees
All the best,
Hakim Chishti,
TBN Staff
OP
carpenter383
Platinum Member
Thanks a bunch guys!
Looks like there are some mixed oppinions about yellow pages adds.
I definately see the benifit from internet related advertizing. It is way over my head, but I will definatley look into the links and try to make sense of all of it. This gave me an idea, I'm gonna do a generalized google search for "trim carpenter" in my area and see what comes up.
Looks like there are some mixed oppinions about yellow pages adds.
I definately see the benifit from internet related advertizing. It is way over my head, but I will definatley look into the links and try to make sense of all of it. This gave me an idea, I'm gonna do a generalized google search for "trim carpenter" in my area and see what comes up.
CurlyDave
Elite Member
Around here we would use "finish carpenter" more than we would use "trim carpenter"...
I would place an ad on Your local craigslist under services ( Skilled Trade ) . its free & if You word the ad right , Sound Proffesional & maybe even post a pic of Your work or Yourself , From what I,ve seen You,ll do far better then any other advertising .
I use it all the time , as a cutomer needing the service I have to weed through the flakes though . Once I,ve used someone & was happy I,ll make a post in the same section saying how happy I was with the person. I,d Suggest never using the word handyman though
. Bob
I use it all the time , as a cutomer needing the service I have to weed through the flakes though . Once I,ve used someone & was happy I,ll make a post in the same section saying how happy I was with the person. I,d Suggest never using the word handyman though
. Bob
Big Bri
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2009
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- 936
- Tractor
- Kubota MX5100
I think the yellow page ad is important, google will pick up on you faster with a yellow page add. i know this from experience. when we were opening our business we had gotten a phone number with a voice mail at our house to answer questions till our building was built. After the building was complete we were not able to bring that number to the building (different exchange) any way we got a new number. google still has the first number listed when you google our business and we haven't had that number for 4 years.
$60 a month is cheep for advertising. think about it what else could you do for $60 a month. if you got just one job off that add it would pay for its self.
run the add.
$60 a month is cheep for advertising. think about it what else could you do for $60 a month. if you got just one job off that add it would pay for its self.
run the add.
300UGUY
Super Member
We have had YP ads for 20+ years. We are downsizing the YP ad. Word of mouth is the best, most frequent, new customer source. Next is the internet. I heard recently " Nobody under 50 uses a phonebook" That seems to be pretty accurate.
Cat_Driver
Elite Member
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- Jan 15, 2008
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- Location
- Coachella Ca.
- Tractor
- 2016 Kubota 4060, 2017 Tackeuchi excavator TB260
Yellow pages is the worst.
I placed a pretty good size ad with them and they put it in the wrong location and still expected me to pay - they fought me tooth and nail on that one. I never did pay.
Signed up again never got a call and it was placed in the right category.
fast forward 10 years and the wife wants to do an ad and I tell her it's a waste of money, she goes back and forth with me till I gave in. She placed the ad not one phone call ever.
Craigslist is the best.
I placed a pretty good size ad with them and they put it in the wrong location and still expected me to pay - they fought me tooth and nail on that one. I never did pay.
Signed up again never got a call and it was placed in the right category.
fast forward 10 years and the wife wants to do an ad and I tell her it's a waste of money, she goes back and forth with me till I gave in. She placed the ad not one phone call ever.
Craigslist is the best.
gotrocks
Platinum Member
I spent '56 - '68 in the tile contracting business. During that time every competitor that ran a 1/4 yellow page ad went out of business before the next directory was printed.